Gate-latch.



L. CONRAD.

GATE LATCH. APPLICATION FILED AUG.1B, 1913.

1,082,408. Patented De0.23,1913.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEONARD oonnan, or tnsanniva, CALIFORNIA.

GATE-LATCH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEONARD, CONRAD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pasadena, in the county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gate- Latches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements in a latching device for gates, doors and similar closures, and has particular application to the construction of a novel form of combined keeper and handle.

In carrying out my invention it is my purpose to provide a latching mechanism for gates or doors, wherein the keeper for the locking member is formed integral with the handle by which the door gate may be swung, so that when the handle is applied to the door or gate, the keeper will be in proper position to perform its function of holding the latching or locking member.

Still a further object of my invention is to provide a latching device'having a combined keeper and handle which is so constructed that it may be applied to doors or gates which open either way, that is to say to the right or to the left.

Still a further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character mentioned, which will embody in its construction the desired features of simplicity, efficiency, reliability and convenience, and which. may be manufactured and marketed at a relatively low cost.

With the above recited objects and others of a similar nature in view, my invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts set forth in and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a door showing my improvement applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of a door jamb showing in detail the latch or locking plate proper applied thereto. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of my combined keeper and handle. Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the letter A designates con- Speeification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. August 18, 1913.

Patented Dec. 23, 1913.

Serial No. 785,360.

ventio-nally a portion of a door frame and the numeral 1 indicates the jamb or door post.

The locking member or latch proper employed in connection with my invention, comprises a plate member 2 formed of metal or other suitable material, which is pivoted at 3 to the inner face of the door j amb. The portion of the plate 3 which projects on the outside of the door is beveled at its under edge as at 4'. and is further provided at such bottom edge just inside the beveled portion with a notch or recess 5. The end portion 6 of the latching plate which projects inside the door has attached to the upper end thereof at the point 7 one end of a coil tension spring 8, the opposite end of such spring being fastened at 9 to the door jamb.

The numeral 10 indicates a U shaped guide bracket or staple which is fastened to the door jamb and spans the locking plate, thereby forming a guide, as well as a stop for limiting pivotal movement of the plate. To the opposite side of the door is adapted to be fastened my improved combined keeper and handle which is indicated as an entirety by the letter B, and which is shown in detail in Fig. 3. This keeper and handle member 13 is also formed of a single piece of metal, preferably wire. In the construction of the device, one end of the wire is turned to form an eye 11, and said wire is then bent outward and upward as at 12, thence vertically as at 13, and thence inward and upward as at 14 to form a substantially U- shaped handle. After forming the side 14 of the handle, the wire is bent laterally as at 16, then looped or doubled back upon itself to form the relatively long top horizontally disposedmember 17, thence looped or doubled back upon itself as at 18, the terminal of the member 18 extending across the top of the handle at right angles thereto, and s formed with an eye 19.

When the combined keeper and handle is applied to the door, as shown in Fig. 1, it will be seen that the handle is arranged vertically relative to the side of the door, while the keeper portion of the handle, which is formed integral therewith is in the nature of a horizontally disposed elongated loop, which lies at right angles to the handle, the center portion of the loop being approximately in line with the handle. The lower end of the handle is fastened to the door by means of the screw or bolt 20 passing through the eye at such end of the handle, while a similar screw or bolt 21 passes through the eye 19 at the end of the keeper loop or member-and fastens the upper por tion of the device to the door.

In the construction shown in Fig. 1, my invention is shown as applied to a door, and it will be seen that when the parts are in operative locking position, the notch or recess 5 of the looking or latching plate receives the adjacent portion of the keeper member, that is to say that part which is formed by the portions 16 of the wire, and the part of the top wire 17 which is arranged parallel therewith. IVhen the de vice is to be applied to a door which opens to the left, the notch or recess 5 of the latch will engage with the opposite side of the keeper member, or that side formed by the part 18 of the wire and the part of the arm 17 extending above and parallel to the part 18. Then the device is applied to the door, and the door is locked by the latching or looking plate engaging with the keeper member, it will be seen that in order to unlatch the door it is only necessary for a person at the outside to grasp the handle and press the thumb upward against the beveled or inclined edge 4: of the latching plate, when such plate will spring upward on its pivot against the contraction of the spring. As soon as the pressure is released the spring will draw the latching plate to its normal position. WVhen the latch is to be operated by a person on the inside of the door, it is only necessary to press downward upon the end 6 of the latching or looking plate and push the door open.

It will be noted that I have provided an exceedingly simple, yet efficient form of latch, which is especially adapted for doors, gates and the like, and which may be readily installed for use. It will further be noted that when the combined keeper and handle is placed in position on the door, it is only necessary to see that the keeper portion is arranged in proper relation to the latch before fastening the device, and the handle will naturally be properly positioned so that when it is grasped in the act of opening the door, the thumb may be readily brought into engagement with the latching or locking plate.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a horizontally disposed keeper member, of a vertically disposed handle member formed integral with and depending from the central portion of the keeper member, and a latching member adapted in latching position to engage with the keeper member.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a fulcrumed latching member, of a keeper member therefor comprising a horizontally disposed loop adapted to be engaged by the latching member, and a vertically disposed handle member formed integral with the keeper member.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a latching member, of a keeper member therefor, of a single piece of wire bentto form an elongated horizontally disposed loop, said wire being then bent to form a U-shaped handle depending from the loop, the terminals of the wire being bent to form eyes for the reception of fastening devices.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

LEONARD CONRAD.

Witnesses:

CHARLES S. CATLIN, LoYD O. ELLIOTT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

